I Kid You Not
by Vir M
Summary: SHINxOC. Piano playing Erika was taken from her German home due to family issues, and now lives with her uncle in Japan. She is forced to speak a new language in her thick accent, make new friends, and survive in an alien culture. What's a girl to do?
1. The Prologue: Home

I Kid You Not

_A Fanfiction by VirM._

_Prologue:_

**Happy...?

* * *

**

She would never be able to say she was 'happy' with all this.

Who would, in her position?

'Happy' was with mother and Shaina, doing the 'art thing.'

'Happy' was sleeping on a park bench in France, back-packing through Ireland, then going home---

Home.

Home was the studio in Berlin.

'Happy' was watching Mother and Shaina waltzing with each other, singing along to the radio in the kitchen.

'Happy' was watching her mother paint, brush creating worlds and thoughts and people out of nothing but a smear of coloured pigment.

'Happy' was watching Shaina sew a ball-gown, pins clutched in her teeth, eyes dancing.

'Happy' was a snow-ball fight with her friends, then going indoors to be greeted with a smile and a mug of cocoa.

'Happy' wasn't in Japan, it was in Germany.

* * *

**

* * *

AUTHOR TIME **

**Well, here we are again. This is an Eyeshield 21 fan fiction! Yay! And I go by the manga, just so you all know.**

**I was perusing the anime section the other day and found that there is only ONE ShinxOC fic on the entire site! So that inspired me to write one of my own.**

**I'm sorry if anyone is deeply offended by OCs, but I do not write yaoi personally, and have not found a female whom I think is able to be suitably paired with Shin. There IS Ojo's manager, however, but she is a MINOR character, and one whom I know nothing about. I just assumed an OC was in order**.

**You'll learn about my little OC next chapter.**

**EYESHIELD 21 © SHONEN JUMP**


	2. Chapter 1: Leaving

I Kid You Not

_A Fanfiction by VirM._

_Chapter One_:

"**Leaving"

* * *

**

"He'll meet you at terminal eight– one of the flight attendants will escort you there. You can call your mother from the desk, and– Erika, are you listening to me?"

The pale girl of middling height smiled up at the older woman, amiable grey eyes glittering slightly, her sharp cheekbones nearly slicing through the flesh of the cheeks themselves. Her full lips curved up into a smile, which only accented the sharp angles of her face. She was far too thin for a girl her age, and even while sitting down and wearing a baggy grey sweat-shirt it was apparent that she was something close to malnourished. It was not an attractive feature in the slightest.

"I was." Her voice was at first cheerful, but then she sobered slightly. Her elbow-length black hair fell to cover her face. "I am sorry, but it is hard to concentrate." She clutched the hand-tooled silver locket around her thin throat, then gave the older woman a courageous smile. "This is a hard day for myself, do you know?"

"I know, sweetheart." The social worker said sympathetically, but Erika's spirits were not lifted.

"_I don't want to go..."_ She said quietly in German. _"I want my mother... and Shaina..."_

"What?" The older woman asked kindly. Erika promptly switched back to her semi-broken English.

"It is nothing." Erika mumbled, her German accent weighing heavy on each syllable. She jumped as a woman's voice echoed over the loudspeaker.

"_Flight 1213 to Osaka boarding now. All those with 'A' marked boarding passes should–"_

"Looks like it's your turn." The woman bent down to Erika's level and gripped her slender hands tightly. "Be brave, okay? I know this is hard, but in a few months when this is all said and done you'll get to visit her, or she'll come to you, so chin up!" She reached up and smoothed Erika's raven hair from her eyes. "Just take it a day at a time, one hurdle first, and then the next." She patted Erika's cheek and was given a hesitant smile in return. "And don't be scared to make some friends, kid. It'll make the transition much, much easier with friends your own age backing you up."

Erika nodded, then stood and hefted her carry-on duffel to one shoulder. The social worker waved over a security guard and spoke a few words to him. She then handed Erika over to the tall man.

"Take care, Erika!" The women called after them as they made their way to the entry ramp. Erika turned and waved, then walked on.

* * *

She slept for most of the flight, waking up twice to use the restroom and twice to eat the awful air-plane food provided for her. When sleep eventually became impossible, she got out her duffel bag from the over-head bin.

She pulled out a rag-doll: a foot-and-a-half-tall, long limbed, red haired thing that could use some mending. It was wearing a patch-work dress made out of scraps of cloth, and its shoes were felt ballet-flats. She hugged it to her chest, then looked into its face. Its black eyes and painted smile were a comfort. It looked just like a doll version of her own dear mother, Ayame.

She'd had Mathilde since she was a child: it was the gift Shaina, her mother's lover, had given her on her third birthday. She'd had it ever since.

"_We'll be there soon."_ She said quietly, speaking in German so no one would understand. "I'm so _scared..."_ She hugged Mathilde tightly again._ "Japanese is_ hard..._" _

Mathilde didn't answer, just smiled and stared. Erika stuffed the doll back into the duffel bag impatiently as the captain's voice echoed throughout the cabin.

He spoke in English first, outlining that the plane would land in about thirty minutes. He then reiterated the statement in Japanese.

_I actually understood that!_ Erika thought excitedly. _Those courses actually payed off!_

The agents from C.P.S. had insisted she take Japanese lessons during the interim between her mother's custody battle and the verdict, just in case she had to actually move. Erika's mother had also taught the basics to her from an early age, so she had advanced to the second-level course after only a few weeks. Her mastery of the language was still a long ways off, but she was perfectly fine if she had a Japanese-English dictionary on-hand. Her accent, however, was atrocious.

Erika's ears popped due to the gradually decreasing altitude, and soon a migraine took up residence in the back her skull. She grit her teeth and was offered an Advil by a stewardess, which she accepted gratefully.

After swallowing it down with the help of a glass of ginger ale, she was able to sit in anxious silence as the plane began its slow descent.

**

* * *

AUTHOR TIME**

**Okay, so here we are. The OC is that weirdo of a chick with the rag doll, named Erika Austerlitz. No, she is not insane. She just treasures that doll.**

**Her first language is German, and her second is English. She only knows enough Japanese to get by, but her heavy accent mars her speech. Poor baby.**

**And CPS means "Children's Protective Services." They take kids out of abusive homes, etc.**

**I did not describe the looks of the social worker because I wanted to get across the fact that Erika has seen a bunch of people like that in her life, and doesn't really think of them as people anymore, just face-less care-takers.**

**Things about her situation and why she got taken from her home (not even that big of a reason, but w/e, society is idiotic) will be revealed next chapter, or the next. Not sure yet. But next chapter for SURE we meet her uncle. Can anyone guess who he is? HINT: He is an actual character from the manga.**

**EYESHIELD21 © SHONEN JUMP**

**ERIKA AUSTERLITZ © VirM.**


	3. Chapter 2: Uncle

I Kid You Not

_A Fanfiction by VirM._

_Chapter 2:_

"**Uncle"

* * *

**

Erika stared apprehensively at the man holding the small cardboard sign bearing her first name and last initial. She forced down the lump in her throat as she hesitantly tapped him on the shoulder.

"E-excuse me..." She mumbled, the Japanese words rolling awkwardly across her tongue. "M-my name is Erika, and–"

"Erika!" The imposing figure said loudly. He dropped the sign and grabbed her roughly by the shoulders. Erika smiled hesitantly as he spoke to her in rapid Japanese, but she was unable to make sense of any of his words. She was, however, able to get a good look at him.

His face was creased like old parchment, and his eyes glittered intensely from the depths of the brow that overshadowed them. He was older than Erika had expected, and was for the most part bald, except for the patches of snowy hair resting just above his ears.

"U-unlce Shoji..." She began in Japanese, trying her best to eliminate her accent. "I am having trouble understanding you..." He gave a small nod, then began to speak in English.

"_Sorry about that_." His tone was gruff, though not unfriendly. _"Is this better_?"

"_I did not know you spoke English."_ She said slowly. He shrugged.

"_I do, but not very well. I took the time to brush up before you got here so I'd be ready._" He eyed Erika for a long moment. _"You look just like her."_

"_Who?_" Erika asked, confused.

"_Your mother_." Shoji said, looking away and stepping back. "_Only you don't dye your hair that awful red_." Erika's brow furrowed. She was frowning.

"_I like her hair_." Her mother's hair had always been fire-engine red and cropped short, falling just below her ears in angular waves. She kept it short so it wouldn't get in the way of her painting, but she had always insisted Erika keep her own black tresses long and unbound.

Uncle Shoji smiled at that, then held out his hand for Erika to shake.

"_I believe this is how the Americans greet one another._" He said, eyes solemn. "_I know more about America than I do Germany, and don't know ANY German, but if there are any religious customs or foods or... well, if you need anything, let me know._" Erika smiled and took his hand.

"_Thank you_." She said. She was beginning to like her uncle. "_But I would rather we spoke Japanese for now, so I can get the hang of it..._" She trailed off, embarrassed. He laughed dryly.

"Of course." He said, switching over to the afore-mentioned language. "I'll keep it slow."

"Thanks..." She mumbled, blushing. Shoji Gunpei patted her on the shoulder.

"Don't mention it. Let's go get your bags."

* * *

"So tell me... how is she?"

"Who?" Erika asked, confused once again. She and her uncle were on their way home in the back seat of a cab. The cigarette smoke was making Erika's nose itch.

"Ayame." Uncle Shoji said slowly. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Your mother." Erika looked away.

"Fine." She said stiffly. Thinking of her mother made her feel depressed. "What do you want to know?" She heard her uncle sigh.

"I don't know much about her at all." He said quietly. "We haven't spoken in almost twenty years." Erika whipped her head around at that.

"Really?" She asked. "Did she run off that long ago?"

"Yes." Said Shoji. His voice was depressed. "She ran off when she was seventeen, then had you at twenty." His hands clenched in his lap, and his eyes grew sad. "You're seventeen now, right? That adds up to twenty years." Erika nodded, but did not speak until her uncle asked her a direct question.

"So... you're father... did you ever know him?"

"No." Erika said blandly. "He left Mother when he found out she was pregnant."

"Bastard." Shoji growled, eyes ablaze. He then shook himself, smiling apologetically. "Sorry. I'm awfully blunt, I know. You'll get used to it." Erika giggled at him.

"You are funny." She laughed. "I can already see... we are going to get along just fine."

* * *

Erika's Uncle's house was a modest two-story in the suburbs with a small back yard and a postage stamp front lawn. The brick house consisted of a kitchen, a living room, a study, and three bedrooms.

"You live alone?" Erika asked as she walked through the front door.

"I'm a bachelor." Shoji said simply.

"Do you not get lonely?" Erika asked. "This house is so big for one man to live in..." Her German accent made it hard for her uncle to understand her, so she had to repeat herself.

"Not really." Uncle Shoji answered after her question had been decoded. "I'm not here all that much."

"What do you do?" Erika asked, interested. "For a job?"

"I coach football at a local high school." He said as he motioned for Erika to follow him up the only set of stairs in the house. "It's connected to some of the big Japanese universities, and I actually have a tenure. Pays really well, too, and it's the only reason I can afford a place this size."

"Is that where I will be going?" Erika asked, both excited and scared at the thought of a new school. "For my schooling?" Shoji nodded at her.

"That's right. Ojo Academy's Senior High School." He gave her a reassuring smile as he threw open a door at the top of the stair case and set her bags down on the floor. "Here's your room!"

Uncle Shoji had led Erika to one of his unused guest rooms. It was furnished in shades of grey, white, and black, with deep purple accents in the drapes, border of the wallpaper, and carpet. The spread on the full bed was a deep shade of violet, and the pillows were mixed blacks and lavenders. Sets of tall double-doors led to a bathroom and a closet, and the window seat looked out into the street, but the branches of a tall, leafy tree obscured the view slightly.

Erika was snapped out of her staring session by her Uncle's voice:

"I didn't know what colours you would like, so I got Koharu to pick all of this out."

"Koharu?" Erika asked. Shoji laughed.

"The most hard working manager my team has ever seen." Shoji smiled. "You'll meet her on Monday. Maybe the two of you could be friends?" His eyes were hopeful, and Erika grinned in return.

"Maybe we will." She murmured. "I do love this room. I'll have to thank her... and you. Thank you, Uncle Shoji."

"Don't mention it." Shoji replied. They stood in silence for a long moment before Shoji turned away. "I'll let you get unpacked, then..." He said quietly, heading back out of the room. Erika watched him go, the smile gradually falling from her lips.

_I miss home... _Erika thought as she looked around her new room. _This is nice, but... _

Her old room had been covered in random paint splatters, courtesy of her mother, and Shaina had sewn the huge '_advant garde_' style quilt that had covered her bed. Her mother had also painted a huge tree on one wall, and its branches had created a canopy across the ceiling.

But that was back at the studio--

--in Germany.

Erika sat down heavily on her new bed, smoothing the creases out of her long, pleated grey skirt as she thought of her old room. The feather bed sank a little underneath her slight weight, and the cool smoothness of the spread was something of a comfort.

She stood abruptly and walked over to the largest of her bags and knelt beside it, her new converse high-tops squeaking in protest as her feet bent to support her weight. The zipper hissed as she yanked it free, and she thrust her hand deep into the case's dark interior.

She pulled out that quilt Shaina had given her, then buried her face in its pretty designs. It smelled like home: like oil paints and new cloth and lavender and--

_Mother..._ She thought, a single tear leaking from the corner of her eye. _Shaina..._

She stood and threw the quilt onto her bed, then pawed open her carry-on bag. She liberated Mathilde, then threw the rag doll onto the rumpled quilt.

Erika wrapped herself up in the thick blanket, the scent of her home surrounding her like an invisible shield, and the tears began flowing freely.

"_I want my mother–"_ she sobbed quietly in German, then:

"–_I want to go _home_!"

* * *

_

**AUTHOR TIME**

**Just so you know: All '**_English'_** and '**_German' _**dialogue is in **_italics,'_** and all '**Japanese**' is in regular type text.**

**Okay, so her Uncle is Shoji Gunpei, the White Knight's ill-mannered coach. I'm sorry if he was slightly out of character, but he doesn't have much charcter is the manga ANYWAY, so...Woot? She'll be going to Ojo High... And that Koharu person is the name of that manager that I know nothing about (I believe I mentioned her in the last chapter). I'll just improvise her personality as I go along.**

**AND: I'm sorry this fic is crap-tastic, but I might have failed to mention this before: I wrote this way back at the end of eighth grade. I AM editing it as I go along, but it is remaining largely unchanged from the original manuscript. I'm just improving the word-order of some sentences, fixing grammar & idea coherency, etc. I've improved since I wrote this (I believe my other fics can attest to that) but still... yeah. Just thought you should know!**

**Next Chapter: First day at school! New friends? Will Erika make ANY? At all? Poor baby...**

R&R please! I beg of you!

And I think my sister just reviewed my own story using MY OWN PEN/USER NAME...I HATE HAVING TO SHARE A COMPUTER WITH THE LIKES OF THAT ONE!!! AUGH!!!!!

**_EYESHIELD21 © SHONEN JUMP_**

**_I KID YOU NOT © VIRM_**


	4. Chapter 3: School

I Kid You Not

A Fanfiction by VirM.

Chapter 3:

_From The Point of View of Erika:_

"**School"

* * *

**

"It does not fit, Uncle." I said worriedly as I walked into the kitchen, stumbling over the Japanese I was forcing myself to use. The early-morning sunshine was a washed out grey as it filtered in from the wide window set over the sink.

"Dammit." Shoji swore. He looked at me apologetically after that curse.

Uncle Shoji had found a uniform for me, but alas, when I tried it on it did not fit. It was too big in the jacket's shoulders, too large in the skirt's waist, and the sleeves weren't long enough to cover my bony wrists.

"I guess you'll just have to wear your casual clothes..." Uncle said. "Something similar to yesterday's outfit would work." I nodded at him, then turned and marched up the stairs to my new room.

I had put all of my skirts on hangers in my closet, along with all of my shirts. I selected a charcoal skirt and black button-down blouse, going for conservatism over fashion.

"_I don't want to go..." _I said sadly, sitting on my bed and cradling my doll, Mathilde, against my chest. I spoke in German since no one was there to listen, save Mathilde._ "I'm so scared..." _I held the doll up to my face so I could look it in the eyes. I spoke while half-laughing, yet was on the verge of tears. _"I'm just too timid for my own good, I suppose..."_

I thought back on the past few days I had spent here in Japan: Uncle Shoji was a nice man, if a little gruff. He spoke his mind at all times and never minced words. He had spent the last two days (Sunday and Saturday) showing me around town, helping me get acquainted with the confusing subway routes, dead-locked traffic, and winding streets. He had also shown me the imposing, cathedral-like building that was to be my new high school.

It was huge, and rose up out of the surrounding buildings like a flame in a forest. The surrounding structures were dwarfed by its soaring spires, vaulted arches and stained-glass windows, and its gothic architecture was majestic yet out of place among the office buildings fringing its grounds.

It was a beautiful school, and yet I was reluctant to go.

Why, you ask?

I did not want to spend my days in a place that reminded me of my Mother.

You see, it was something Mother would've loved painting a picture of.

* * *

"Class, we have a new student! Meet 'Erika.'"

"Hello." I mumbled, trying to ignore all the stares I was getting for being both new and out-of-uniform.

"Erika, I understand you only speak limited Japanese?" The teacher asked, eyeing me sympathetically. I nodded.

"German was my first language, and English my second." I said nervously. The teacher clapped her hands together in excitement.

"This works out perfectly!" She then turned to the class. "Wakana, please stand!"

A petite pony-tailed girl with serious features but dancing eyes stood up and out of her first-row seat. I noticed that the desk next to her was empty.

"Wakana here is very good at English. She'll help you understand the lesson if you have trouble. Now take a seat, and we'll begin class."

I smiled hesitantly at this 'Wakana' person and mumbled a shy "Hello." She grinned in response.

"I'm Koharu." She said amiably as I sat in the desk beside her. "Oh, wait, sorry..." She shook her head for a moment, and then repeated the phrase in English.

"I know THAT much Japanese." I laughed. "I just do not get it when people speak quickly." Suddenly her name struck me. "Oh... excuse me, but did you say 'Koharu?' Are you the manager of the American Football team?"

"I am." She grinned at me again and nodded vigorously. "I see your uncle mentioned me. How do you like your new room, Erika-chan?"

* * *

It turns out that Uncle Shoji had coerced the principal into letting me have each one of my classes with Koharu so that I'd have a ready translator throughout the day. She and I gradually became friends over the course of our shared classes, and by the day's end we were fast friends.

I said goodbye to her after our last class regretfully. She had to go work with the football team.

"Is it any fun?" I asked her. "Being the manager?"

"Kinda." She said, shrugging. "I used to work for my dad every day after school at the family grocery store, and took this up to take some time off, but..." She smiled sheepishly. "I'm a hard-worker by nature, so it's become another chore rather than a leisure activity."

"I see." I said seriously. "Do you do it all by your self, or do you have help?"

"It's just me." She said, shaking her head. "I actually do both the trainer's jobs _and_ all the managing, but..." Suddenly her deep brown eyes lit up. "There's an idea!" She said excitedly.

"What?" I asked suspiciously. I wondered what she was getting at and asked her again.

"Oh, nothing." Her features smoothed into a poker-face, but her eyes still sparkled. "I'll talk to Coach Shoji about it later..."

"About what?" I asked impatiently. "Koharu-chan, what are you–"

"See you later, Eri-san!" She giggled, dashing away from me down the hall. "Talk to you tomorrow!"

I stared after her, perplexed, then turned and made my way to Uncle Shoji's office.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Erika, but I'm swamped with paper work. Do you think you can manage taking the subway home by yourself?"

I thought on that a moment, then nodded.

Uncle Shoji was sitting behind his desk, though I could barely see him behind the stacks of papers piled up in front of him. The desk's legs were practically groaning from the strain of bearing their weight.

He had spent most of the previous afternoon outlining the routes and stops on the subway system, and he had made sure I knew which one to take to get home and to school. He had a car, but could not take me home in it every single afternoon, so it was vital I learn the proper train systems. I was pretty confident I could find my way home from school.

"Sure." I reiterated. My uncle looked relieved.

"I'll see you at home, then, Eri." He said, distracted, hastily scrambling for his papers as a stack of them slipped off of his desk and onto the floor. I helped him clean up before leaving him to his work.

"_Why has everyone given me that nick-name today?_" I said to myself as I exited the office, momentarily slipping back into German. "_Eri, Eri, Eri..._"

I walked down the front steps of the school, planning my route home, and was met with something of a problem:

"Where's the train station again?"

This could only end badly, I felt it in my bones...

**

* * *

AUTHOR TIME**

**Another chapter edited. Joy. Sorry if Koharu is OOC. I don't really know what she's like, what with her being a very minor character and all...**

**This fic is turning out to be rather shitty... Augh! I need to go work on "By Blood Connected!" You see, I write mostly in the Devil May Cry video game section and have a rather long-running fic going on... that I have been neglecting to write because of my frantic editings of THIS. I need to get WORKING!!!**

**So it seems my "Past Self" decided to randomly switch to first person point of view for this chapter...? Weird. "The-Self-Of-The-Now" is befuddled by the "Self-Of-The-Past"'s strange actions...**

**Anyway, Next Chapter: Lost on the subway! Le gasp! As the end of this chapter says, this can only end badly...**

**EYESHIELD21 © SHONENJUMP**

**I KID YOU NOT © VIRM. **


	5. Chapter 4: Lost

I Kid You Not

A Fan-fiction by VirM.

_From the Point of View of Erika:_

Chapter 4:

"**Lost"

* * *

**

If I had to say something good came out of me having to find my way home by myself, it would have to be that I now know that –without a doubt– I have a horrible sense of direction.

I asked passerby to point me in the direction of the subway (I had to repeat myself several times due to my accent) and eventually found the entrance to the underground.

I studied the map mounted above the ticket window for several long moments before purchasing my boarding tokens. I was to take the red line to the "Shimomura" station, then switch over to the green line. As soon as the green line reached the "Kanto" stop (three stations away from the start of the green line) I was to get off of the train, then walk about four blocks until I reached the street Uncle Shoji's house was on.

"_It sounds simple enough."_ I muttered darkly in German as I wormed my way through the crowd of commuters who were all vying for seats on the train. _"What could go wrong?"_

Little did I know that the Fates were not willing me an easy trip...

"_Almost there..._" I muttered under my breath as I latched onto the subway car's handrail for dear life. The other people also trying to catch a ride were pressed so tightly around me I could hardly move. "_C'mon, _Shimomura..."

* * *

Some time later, I smiled as I heard the PA system echo throughout the train car, informing all that we had arrived at the Shimomura station. 

The doors hissed open and people began to stream out of the car. I followed suit–

–but was rudely pushed aside by a business man talking rapidly on a cell-phone in Japanese.

I collided with a row of seats, banging my knee sharply.

"Oof!" My breath was expelled in a whoosh as I bent to cradle my injured digit. The sharp edge of the train chair had hit a pressure point not unlike my funny bone, and stars flashed across my vision like fireworks, rendering me unable to move for several long moments.

When I recovered sufficiently, I hobbled towards the doors–

but they slid shut before I could make it through.

I stared at tham in disbelief-- had they just CLOSED?!-- as the train lurched into motion, sending me sprawling into a seat. Then I cursed, something I rarely did.

"_Dammit."

* * *

_

I got off at the next stop, not knowing what else to do. I found myself in the middle of a largely deserted terminal. After poking around for a bit, I found the train map mounted high on a wall.

Getting off at this stop, it seemed, had been a grave mistake.

You see, I couldn't recognize the kanji that made up the name of this station.

That was a fault of my limited education in the Japanese language. I could hold a conversation (if you could understand my accent); I could read the words in katakana (heck, I could _write_ words in katakana); but I, for the life of me, could not recognize all the thousands of kanji I encountered.

Nervously humming Mozart's "Requiem," I left the underground and headed out into the open street.

* * *

The district I had landed myself in was not a nice one, that much I could tell. Graffiti covered the boarded-up buildings, trash overflowed from the garbage cans and into the streets, and the avenues were almost deserted save for the occasional car or taxi. 

I spotted a phone-booth across the street and hurried over to it, feeling exposed on the deserted lane. I opened the glass door (three of the panels were missing) and prayed that the wire connecting the phone to the booth was still intact. I'd had several bad experiences in which the cord had been severed by some punk trying to act funny. My old home had been a scary place at times, especially on the untamed streets.

Luckily for me the wire was whole. I shut the door behind me and began to paw through my satchel for the money Uncle Shoji had given me the second day I had arrived. Extracting the appropriate amount of yen, I inserted it into the coin slot, dialed Uncle Shoji's number, and waited.

"Shoji Gunpei speaking." Came a gravelly, familiar voice. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Uncle?" I said hesitantly, relief all but evaporating as I remembered his temperament.

"Erika?" He asked.

"Yes..." I mumbled.

"Thought so. I recognized your accent." He chuckled. I heard him shifting papers in the background, then utter something I was unable to hear.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Oh, no, I was talking to one of my students." He said gruffly. "We were just finishing up here." Suddenly his tone shifted. "Is something the matter, Erika?"

"Well..." I began, slowly. "I'm... lost."

"WHAT?!"

I winced again, then heard him growl lowly to himself.

"I couldn't make it to the door, Uncle." I said quickly, trying to amend myself. "It was so crowded, and I couldn't–" I crumpled then. "I'm sorry, Uncle."

"It's not your fault." He said brusquely. "I should've warned you ." He paused for a long moment. "Do you know where you are?"

"I do not know the kanji of this station." I said quietly. My lower lip quivered, and I had to pause myself and regain composure. When I was clam, I continued: "But I know it is one stop after the Shimomura station."

Uncle Shoji was silent for a long moment before swearing so colourfully I actually gasped aloud.

"You're in the seediest part of the city!" He growled, sounding very much like a bear fresh out of hibernation. "You're in Zokuga!"

"I'm sorry, Uncle–" I stammered, wondering fretfully over the enigma that was 'Zokuga.' Uncle Shoji cut me off mid-apology.

"Just find a place to wait for me– a park or someplace no one will see you. There's shady characters around that district." He said, voice noticably worried.

"I understand." I reiterated miserably, haert sinking.

"I'll come soon, Erika, and stay safe. Don't wander far."

The line went dead.

I was, once again, alone.

* * *

**

* * *

AUTHOR TIME **

**Well... no Shin.**

**Yet.**

**He is coming. You've been warned.**

**This chapter sets up the next ones. Woot!!**

**I hope you enjoy Erika. She's a funny girl, I think... And I hope I'm not Mary-Suing her. Please tell me if I am, but try to be nice about it. I really enjoy writing this fic, even though I rarely update it. There's a certain other fic of mine that is draining my Eyeshield 21time.**

**And I totally made up the subway/train stops. The "Zokuga" one is supposed to be an offshoot of the name of the "Zokugaku Chameleons," who are located in a seedy area of town. She's somewhere around there.**

**Oh, and WHO IS EXCITED?! I don't know about you, but I am American, and the 12th volume of Eyeshield 21 comes out TOMORROW!!! I can't wait!**

**Review, please! I need some major feedback!! The more you review, the more willing to write I shall become, and then you'll get the SHIN CHAPTER sooner! Yay! It's from HIS OWN POINT OF VIEW!!!**

**Eyeshield21 © SHONEN JUMP**

**I Kid You Not © VirM.**


	6. Chapter 5: The Call

I Kid You Not

A Fan-fiction by VirM.

_From the Point of View of Shin:_

Chapter 5:

"**The Call"

* * *

**

"I suppose you're wondering why I've called you here."

"Yes, sir."

My coach, one Shoji Gunpei, sat behind a large oak desk piled high with folders, books, and parchment. A space had been cleared in the center on the towering stacks, however, and in it sat a single leaf of document-type paper.

"As you know, Shin, Ojo High School has high expectations of their athletes." Shoji's eyes bored into mine intensely. I neither blinked nor averted my gaze.

"Athletes must maintain passing grades in all of their classes, or they forfeit their playing time," he continued, look turning to stone. "Do you understand my implications?"

"Yes, sir," I said automatically. My face felt wooden. I knew what was coming. I'd seen it coming since the start of the term.

"This," Coach said gruffly, picking up the lone sheet of paper in one hand, "is your report card."

I silently waited for his coach to continue, face set. Inside, however, anxiousness created a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"It is exceptional..." Coach said slowly, looking it over with keen eyes. "For an athlete, anyway. Most would expect much less from a jock, but you… you're intelligent in your own right. Except for in your English class." He looked back at me and bluntly said the words I had been dreading: "You're failing English, Shin. Badly, in fact."

"I am aware of that, sir," I said mechanically. A bead of seat formed at my hairline and trickled down my temple coldly.

"If your grade isn't brought up by the end of this grading period..." Shoji's look turned regretful, yet somehow remained just as unforgiving as always. "...you face suspension from the rest of the football games this season." He sighed. "You're the best line-backer I've seen in a long time, Shin. I'd hate to lose your talent."

"Yes, sir," I said once again. My heart felt like a leaden weight in the confines of my chest.

Coach Shoji opened his mouth to say something else, but at that moment the phone rang. Shoji gestured for me to remain where I was while he dealt with the caller.

Coach picked up the hand-set and held it to his ear, greeting the caller with the standard mention of his name.

"Erika?" Shoji asked after a moment's silence, eyes confused. I watched impassively, wondering absently who Shoji was speaking to, then nearly did a double take when my stone-cold coach actually laughed at whatever the caller was saying.

"Thought so. I recognized your accent," he said amiably, smiling slightly.

He then covered the mouth-piece with a hand and turned to me.

"It's my niece, Erika," he whispered. "She's from Germany; just moved here. She's adorable." His eyes twinkled amid their nest of crow's feet. He then lifted the receiver to his ear once more, saying: "Oh, no, I was talking to one of my students, we were just finishing up here..." His mood abruptly shifted. "Is something the matter, Erika?"

I said nothing, but smiled internally, slightly amused at the antics of my normally gruff coach. However, my amusement faded as his coach's expression turned all at once grave, outraged, and --was it even possible?-- afraid.

"WHAT?!" He yelled into the phone, the Coach I knew so well finally resurfacing. His demeanor crumpled as he gave his niece an apology and asked her something about her location. Then he sighed and ran a hand through his thinning hair. "It's not your fault. I should've warned you. Do you know where you are?"

After the person on the other line answered, the coach began to curse-- loudly.

"Is something the matter, sir?" I asked. I did not like the tone of voice my mentor had taken.

Shoji ignored me, however, and began to grumble to himself and his niece. I couldn't hear most of it, but was able to pick out the words 'lost,' 'seediest,' and 'Zokuga.'

After a moment or two of exchanging worried words with his niece, Shoji hung up the phone, her turned slowly to back to me.

"Shin," he said slowly. "I'm sorry about this, but I need to ask you a favor."

"Yes, sir?" I asked politely. Inside, however, I cringed. I would rather be training.

Coach breathed a heavy sigh and crossed his thick arms.

"Erika is lost in the Zokuga district," he wearily intoned. "I would really appreciate your help in finding her. She's probably got herself even more lost trying to find a place to lie low, and she doesn't have a cell phone so I can't call her to find out exactly where she is, so…" He sighed again, placing his hands on his hips. "I think that if we divide and conquer we'll be able to find her more easily."

I thought on that a moment.

"What does she look like?" I finally asked. "So I'll know her if I see her."

Coach beamed at me gratefully, then walked over to the coat rack located next to his office door. As he pulled on his jacket, he said: "Thank you, Shin."

"I owe you a lot, sir," I said quietly, mimicking his actions and shrugging into my own coat. "This is the least I can do."

"Ever the gentleman, aren't you, Shin?" Shoji asked with a slight smile. That being said, he showed me to the door.

* * *

"Erika is about average in height—5'5 or 5'6 tops—and has very long, very dark hair. She's too pale to really look Japanese, so she should stick out fairly well, and her accent is terrible so you'll know it's her from the moment she opens her mouth; she's decidedly foreign. Oh, and her eyes are gray." Shoji stopped talking abruptly and gave me a measuring look. "Did you get all that?" 

"How is she built?" I asked blandly. I was never very good with people's features, and normally looked at a person's build or weight as initial identification.

"She's…" Shoji fumbled for words, then sighed dejectedly. "Frankly, she looks malnourished. I swear you can see right through her." His face darkened. "I'm worried about her, actually. She didn't eat much last night."

Shoji and I were on the train, steadily making our way towards Zokuga Station. We were standing, holding onto the handrails mounted above the seats, and swayed in rhythm with the bouncing train car.

"Coach?" I asked him. He looked at me, snapping himself out of his silent moment, then nodded for me to continue.

"Why did your niece—"

"Erika."

"—why did she move here? Relocating to another continent is not a normal occurrence for a teenager… that is, I assume, her age, correct?"

Shoji nodded silently, then gave me a very level, very stern stare. "If you really want to know, I will let her be the one to tell you. She is, after all, going to be attending your school… and act as your tutor, no less." His eyes sparkled with satisfaction at that last enigmatic remark.

I blanched. "What?"

"I've been giving it a lot of thought, Shin," he said, turning to stare out the train window. The buildings whipped by in a blur. "You're failing English, and English is Erika's second language. She needs to learn Japanese, and you speak Japanese." He turned back to me. "It's perfect. The two of you can help each other." He turned back to the window again. "And besides," he mused, "the two of you may very well become friends. God knows she needs a friend right now."

I stared at him, mind blank as the train began to roll to a stop. The intercom announced that we had reached stop Zokuga, and Shoji and I got off the train without a word.

We exited the terminal onto a deserted stretch of roadway. There were few people to be seen along the streets, and the majority of buildings were covered in graffiti or boarded completely up.

"You go that way," Shoji said, pointing to the left. "I'll take this route. Do you still remember what she looks like?"

"Thin, and of middle height," I said mechanically. "With long dark hair and pale skin."

Shoji nodded his approval. "Good. Have Erika call me from a pay phone if you are the one to find her. Meet me back here at six o'clock sharp if you turn up nothing, okay?"

And with that, Shoji turned and began to walk briskly away from me down the sidewalk, hands jammed into his pockets. I followed suit and turned to face my own stretch of street.

It was time to find Erika, wherever she may be.

**

* * *

AUTHOR TIME **

**I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY!!!! This wait was soooooooooo long! I totally forgot to post this chapter!**

**Anyway, as I was saying, it's been a while. This chapter has been ready for some time and I am VERY sorry that I did not post it sooner. Do forgive me!**

**Time for REVIEW REPLIES!!! **

**_EEP!:_** I'm glad you like them all! Eyeshield 21 is amazing, and I'm glad to hear that I have readers who are also fans of it, along with all of the other fandoms I write in. It's great to find people with similar tastes as me!

**_OTAKUREC.37:_** Me, too! Here he finally is, in all his glory! Next chapter, he and Erika meet each other! Yay! See you then!

_**SCRUNCHY:**_ Here you finally go! Sorry this was so late! FORGIVE ME!!!!

**_OH.HOLY.OTAKU:_** Oh, no, rush me all you like! Sometimes I NEED someone to light a fire under my lazy arse to get me going, I swear! And I am very honored that you hold my Eyesh fanfic in such high esteem. I am not worthy!

**_PSYCHO DRAGON LOVER:_** Sorry about the wait! Here's your update! I now own 13 volumes of the manga, by the way. A few more than I had the last time we talked!

**_CANCERSTICK:_** Yeah yeah whatever! Lol. Anyway, just check next time. It makes it look like I'm giving myself reviews!

**Anyway, I now proudly own 13 volumes of the Eyesh21 manga. Woot for me! And, since I don't know if I mentioned this before, Erika enters into the Eyesh21 storyline a few weeks before the start of the manga (AKA before Deimon and the White Knights play each other with Sena on the Bat's team). Just thought I'd throw that little tidbit out there!**

**OH OH OH OH OH!!!!! SHUN KAKEI!!!! I was reading volume 13 and saw him, and now he's my new favourite character next to Shin! I kind of want to write a fan fic about him, but I just have so many ideas right now I don't know if I'll ever get to it! If any of you are Kakei fans out there, and would like to see an OC pairing with him written by me, please say so in a review! I'd like to know my reader's opinions on the matter! (Oh, and the HirumaxOC fic is in the works. I'll announce when I release the first chapter.)**

**So it looks like Shoji had the bright idea to throw Erika and Shin together via tutorials. Joy... or not. Will the two teens get along? Hell, will Shin or Shoji even manage to FIND Erika in the first palce? Find out soon!**

**EYESHIELD 21 (C) INAGAKI & MURATA**

**I KID YOU NOT (C) VIR M.**


	7. Chapter 6: Found

I Kid You Not

_A Fan-Fiction by Vir M._

Contains Alternating Points of View from both Shin and Erika—

Chapter 6:

**"Found"**

* * *

I walked along slowly, eyes scanning over the nearly deserted main street. Silently, I prayed that Erika had had the sense to stick to the principal road, and had not wandered too far into the twisting alleyways of the Zokuga District. 

Hands jammed into the pockets of my coat, I walked almost two blocks until I came upon a small, rundown park that had been heavily vandalized. Stunted trees grew furtively in unkempt beds, and the child's play set that had been place in the center of the park's dying patch of grass was covered in graffiti compromised mostly of swear words and gang symbols. A swing set had been set off to the right of the jungle-gym, and the swing's chains had all been broken into pieces.

All the swing's chains, that is, save one. The last swing was intact, and on it sat a girl.

She was staring forlornly at the dead grass below her, and rocked idly back and forth on the swing. Her feet scuffed the ground beneath her, and her arm was curved up and around the chain, holding her steady on her makeshift seat; the other was placed serenely in her lap. Her veritable curtain of long black hair had swung forward to hide her features, obscuring her expression.

The girl was wearing a loose black blouse above a long, pleated gray skirt. The clothes were several sizes too large, but nonetheless did almost nothing to hide the fact that the girl was thin, almost emaciated. The boniness of her wrists and thinness of her shoulders merely attested to the fact. I couldn't make out her height since she was sitting down, but I estimated it to be 5'6 at the most.

_Is that…?_ I wondered silently, slipping my hands out of my pockets so that I could jog over to the seated girl unhampered.

"Miss Erika?" I called out as I neared her. Her head snapped up, and then her eyes fell on me.

Her eyes were a bright shade of silvery-gray that shone out of her pale, pale skin like LED lighting. They were offset by the dark of her hair, and the sharpness of her cheekbones and chin. Her cheeks were slightly hollowed, and she had dark, bruiselike smudges beneath each of her clear, overly bright eyes.

In short, 'adorable' was not the word I would have used to describe her.

"Y-yes?" she stammered, not meeting my eyes. She looked about ready to bolt.

"My name is Shin," I said slowly. "I'm one of Coach Shoji's students. He and I have been looking for you."

Erika blinked up at me, luminous eyes unfathomable. "You are one of… Uncle Shoji's students?" Her voice, though timid –and incidentally soft— was heavily accented with what I assumed to be German.

I nodded at Erika blandly. "He said that we should call him if I were to find you before he did. Shall we find a pay phone?"

"Oh, um…" Erika stammered, lurching to her feet clumsily. Her eyes glimmered weirdly. "I s-suppose so…"

As she stood, I got a good look at her at last. Her clothes seemed to hang off her body, which was appallingly skinny.

_Her BMI must be off the charts,_ I thought to myself. _No wonder Shoji is worried about her eating habits!_

"Follow me, then," I said while turning on my heel, shaking the thoughts of the underfed German out of my mind. "We'd best call him before he wanders too far off."

* * *

…. Erika's Perspective.

* * *

I didn't really know what to make of this 'Shin' character. 

After all, he was a student of Uncle's; he couldn't be a bad person! But he seemed so cold, that I… Well, anyway, I based my trust in him solely on the fact that he A) knew my name, and B) was a student of Uncle's. I didn't have much choice, as it were, so I blindly followed where the dark-haired boy led.

* * *

I snuck a glance at Shin, who was standing just outside of the pay-phone booth I was currently occupying. It was, in all actuality, the same booth I had made my earlier call to Shoji in. 

Shin had chiseled, square features that were set off by the messy cut of his thick black hair and pronounced eyebrows. His black eyes were focused and alert, staring off down the street the way Shoji had gone. Shin's hands were clasped behind his back, his feet spread slightly apart to support his weight in equal measure. His posture was erect and firm, which made him project an air of unyielding strength and stoicism. He exuded a collected calm that was neither self-deprecating nor self-conscious; simply self-aware, yet it in no way expressed arrogance or pride.

I tore my eyes away from Shin and began to fumble in my pockets and satchel for change. Once I had found the appropriate amount, I fed the coins into the machine and dialed Uncle's number from memory. Lifting the phone to my ear, I snuck another look Shin's way.

As if sensing my gaze, Shin turned his chiseled features my way, regarding my coolly out of calm black eyes. I quickly looked away, blushing madly as the phone rang in my ear.

"Shoji," said a gruff voice. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Uncle!"

"Erika!" He sounded pleased. "Shin found you, I presume."

"Yes," I said quickly. "We are outside of the train station. Uncle, I am sorry for all of this, and even more so for dragging in one of your students—"

"Nonsense," Shoji said gruffly. "It's not your fault. And besides, something good DID come out of this; you got to meet Shin, and since the two of you are going to be seeing each other more often than you think—"

"And just WHAT is THAT supposed to mean?!" I interjected. Though I was grateful for this 'Shin' person for finding me, I did not relish the thought of spending much time in his brooding company. He was much too cold for my tastes.

"Well, you ARE going to be tutoring him in English, since he's failing that course, so I figured it would be best for the two of you to meet sooner rather than later."

I gaped down at the handset.

"I'm going to—tutor—?" I gulped. Shoji gave a rough chuckle.

"I've already mentioned it to Shin, and he didn't seem opposed to it… I think. It's hard to tell with him sometimes."

I nodded mutely. Shin hadn't seemed very animated when I'd last spoken with him.

"Well, anyway, stay where you are—I'll there in a minute or two."

The line promptly went dead, leaving both me and my trepidation alone and speechless.

* * *

… Shin's Perspective.

* * *

I heard the door to the phone booth open, then shut quickly. Turning around, I saw Erika leaning her back against the glass frame. 

"He'll be here soon," she said. Her tone was chipper, but her eyes were troubled.

I nodded at her. She smiled hesitantly, then pushed herself up off of the booth and walked over to a bench set next to the cubicle. Sighing heavily, she sat down, then leaned her head back and closed her eyes. After a moment or two, she rocked forward again and looked at me. Her eyes were bright—too bright—and the bags beneath each gray orb only served to make them even more luminous.

"Did Shoji—" she began haltingly, accent thick. "Did Uncle tell you anything about—"

She waved one of her hands in the air for a moment, searching for the Japanese words. What came out of her mouth was a set of two words: "English" and "teaching," respectively.

"Tutoring," I said automatically. "English tutoring."

Erika nodded vigorously. "Yes, that. Uncle mentioned that the two of you had spoken about it briefly…" she trailed off, pinched face cautious.

"He told me," I began, "that you could tutor me in English, and that I, in exchange, would help you understand Japanese better."

She stared at me with her wide gray eyes, then looked down at her hands. Her fingers were gripping the material of her long skirt tightly.

"I see," she muttered. The grip on her skirt tightened. "Thank you, Shin," she said in a low voice, so low I had to strain to hear. "For coming to look for me. You did not have to do that."

I gave her bowed head a level look, then said stiffly: "I owe your uncle a lot, Erika-san. It was the least I could do."

At that, Erika's head snapped up. Her eyes held a strange, torn look.

"It looks like both of us," she said slowly, painfully, "owe him something."

Confusion rippled through me. "What do you—?"

Before I could finish the question, however, a voice interjected from behind me: "Erika!"

I turned, as did Erika. Shoji was approaching at a jog; breathing labored.

"Erika," he said as he came to a stop before us. "Shin. Thank you for waiting. Let's head back now."

Erika rose from her seat on the bench. "Would you like to rest a moment, Uncle?" she asked, gesturing to her vacated seat. "You can sit if you would like to."

"Don't mind if I do," he said with a grin and a pant, parking himself on the bench. "Only for a minute or so, though. I hate to admit it, but it seems like I'm getting old."

Erika giggled. I said nothing. When Shoji recovered his breath sufficiently, he looked back and forth between Erika and I.

"So… about my tutoring idea," he began. "I think it would be beneficial to the both of you if you went through with it."

"Yes, sir," I said automatically. Erika gave a hesitant nod.

"I'll let you both know when you should meet, and where," Shoji continued. "Oh, and Shin?"

"Sir?" I asked, meeting my Coach's gaze. He smiled up at me.

"Erika is going to co-manage the football team with Wakana, starting next week."

"I am?"

I turned to look at Erika. Her face was shocked, eyes wide. "When was this decided?"

"Koharu ran it by me during practice today, and I thought it was a great idea." Shoji gave her a stern look. "I think it would be good for you, Erika. Being active will help you get along here, and give you the chance to make a few good friends."

Erika looked down at her feet. "I suppose…"

"At any rate, make sure you get all of the guys to give Eri a warm welcome," Shoji said, turning back to me. I nodded at him.

"I will tell the others."

'Eri' smiled at me sheepishly. "You don't have to—"

"It's nothing," I said quietly, effectively silencing her. Though her eyes betrayed the awkwardness of the moment, they still shown with a light expressing what looked to be gratefulness.

"Thank you."

I did a double take, not sure she had actually spoken. Her hair had fallen to cover her face again.

Silently, I replied:_ "You're welcome."_

**

* * *

AUTHOR TIME**

**I had always promised myself that I would never switch viewpoints in the middle of a chapter, but… oops. It was necessary, I think. At any rate, SORRY!!! **

**Well… they met. No fanfare, no sparks. Just two people being introduced via necessity. Just like in real life. Notice that Shin did NOT find Eri adorable. NO INSTANT ATTRACTION!!!!!! Besides, I think that Eri's charms are more evident in her personality than in her looks.**

**So it looks like Eri will be the co-manager/trainer, as well as Shin's English tutor. Now that they have an excuse to see one another, there will be lots of ShinxEri interaction! Woot for that! Next chapter Eri meets the rest of the football team, and learns 'when & where' the tutoring will take place! Stay tuned!**

_**And now for the review replies!**_

**PSYCHO DRAGON LOVER:** Yup, that conversation with Panther adheres to my choice very nicely. Originally, he was going to fail his computer course, and then I thought his math course, but the English worked out better and opened up a bunch of options concerning the future of this fic. Plus, I think that Shin's probably right good at math. He probably calculates velocity and momentum on the field during games, etc. Anyway, thanks for the review! You ROCK!

**LUBARIS:**My impression of Shin is one of gallant chivalry. The whole 'White Knight'/'knight in shining armor' motif that is used CONSTANTLY throughout the manga matches it! Plus, in the first volume of the manga, Shin catches that fainting-fangirl of Sakuraba's when she fell off a staircase, so… yeah. Chivalrous Shin!

**THE GANDHARA:**There's TONS of great characters in this manga, my word! It's so hard to pick a favorite! Shin will always be #1 in my book, though.

**SCRUNCHY:**ACK! A fangirl squeal! Kodak moment, anyone? Lol.

**EYESH21 © MURATA & INAGAKI**

**I KID YOU NOT © VIR M.**


	8. Chapter 7: Meetings

I Kid You Not

By Vir M.

Chapter 07:

"Meetings"

* * *

"If one of the guys complains about something hurting, ice it down until he can get more advanced medical attention from one of the senior trainers. The ice is here, and the bags are over here, and you only fill the bag three-quarters full so that it can mold itself around the foot or wrist or whatever happens to hurt the most. If anyone wants to schedule themselves for a physical therapy session, have them write a date and time on this list, and—"

I nodded along, trying my hardest to absorb all of the information Koharu was throwing at me. It seemed like being team trainer wasn't going to be as easy as I expected. Details upon details piled up until my head reeled with the overload on information. Eventually (and much to my relief), Koharu seemed to think she had covered all she needed to address because she stopped and said: "It's about time we took water to the guys. We'll have to fill the coolers, load them onto the cart, and take them down to the field. You'll get to meet everybody!"

She looked happy. I didn't feel the same. Rather, a tremor of nerves (well, it was more of an earthquake, really) wormed its way into my stomach. My heart rate picked up as a score of butterflies turned somersaults and performed complicated aerial maneuvers in the cavity of my torso. "O-okay," I stammered. "Sure."

We filled the coolers, Koharu with steady hands and I with trembling ones. I nearly dropped mine when I tried to lift it onto the cart (water is _heavy_!), but Koharu saw me struggle with it and rushed to my aid. She giggled as she grabbed it, good naturedly called me a 'baka', and I found her laughter to be infectious. My nerves calmed as we rolled the coolers to the elevator down the hall, pressed the button, and descended to the field.

The day was hot, the sun bright and the air clear. The sound of crunching shoulder pads and pained grunts floated up off the training field, where the players ran laps and slammed into each other in mock charges. Some of the guys passed balls back and forth in neat spirals, while others practiced kicking. Uncle Shoji barked orders on the sidelines, voice more gruff than I was used to hearing.

"Oh," I said, staring at my uncle. "He is so…"

Koharu glanced at me quizzically. "He's so what?"

"Serious."

The look on my friend's face was one of mixed confusion and skepticism. "Isn't he always?"

I shrugged. "Kind of. He is serious at home, just not so… 'grumpy' is the word, I think."

Koharu giggled and said "C'mon" as she tugged at the cooler cart. I hurried to help her, pushing at it from the opposite side. Eventually we moved it down to the bleachers, then waved to Shoji. It took him a moment to spot us, and when he did he jogged over.

"Thanks, girls," he said. "I was just about to call for you. Takami's leg's bothering him again—can you two wrap it up? I'm going to call break in a few minutes so the boys can get watered. Hang around until then." He walked off, yelling commands at the players.

"Wakana! Over here!"

"Oh, hey Takami!" Her voice was bright as she led me over to the edge of the field. A tall boy with glasses and pushed back hair waved at us, smiling.

"Sorry to bother you again, but my leg is—"

"Hurting, I know," Koharu interceded. She grinned, then gestured at me. "I'd like to be the first to introduce you to Erika, the Shogun's niece. She'll be assisting me as team trainer from now on." She turned to me. "This is Takami, Erika. He's the first-string quarterback."

"Hello." I bowed at the older boy; he seemed a little confused with the formality and opted for offering me a hand to shake. I took it with some hesitance, but his smile loosened me up somewhat.

"Nice to met you. Mind if I ask you a question?"

I blinked. "Yes?"

"Are you German?"

I blushed. "Yes."

He laughed. "Your accent is pretty." I blushed (again, and more deeply), but said nothing. Takami and I looked at one another for a few more seconds that felt like hours, both smiling uncomfortable half-smiles.

"She's never wrapped an ankle before," Koharu said over the awkward silence. "Would you mind terribly if I let her practice on you?"

"Not at all," said Takami. Together the three of us walked to the bench. Takami took off one of his shoes, Koharu unrolled a length of medical tape, and then showed me how to wrap an ankle. It took me a few tries to get it right, but with both Koharu and Takami to encourage me the time flew by, and I found I was having fun. My laugh came easy; I didn't have to think about it before letting loose a peal.

"Alright, boys—water break!"

I was snapped out of my secure little world as Shoji's words initiated a stampede towards us and the water barrels. With haste Koharu and I scrambled for cups and began to dole out the liquid as the guys stripped off their helmets and shoulder pads, then lined up for a drink. As they filed past us, Koharu whispered their names.

"There's Shun Kanzaki, a receiver," she said, pointing out a handsome boy with black hair. "And that's Reiji Kagamido, lineman, … oh, and this is Sakuraba."

'Sakuraba' must have heard her use his name. "Hey, Wakana," he said. He was a good-looking boy with blonde-ish hair and pretty facial features. Tall, too. His eyes swept over me. "And this is…?" Though the words weren't particularly welcoming, his tone was open.

"Erika," said Koharu. "Shoji's niece. She's co-manager now."

"Hello," I said to Sakuraba. He smiled.

"Welcome. You're not from around here are you?"

"Germany," I confirmed. He blinked.

"Wow. Why'd you move?"

I froze. "Uh…"

Luckily, however, Koharu saw my panicked expression and intervened with a resourceful white lie. "She came over on an exchange trip," she said with a laugh. "To study Japanese. Isn't that right, Erika?"

"Um… yes," I said. I tried to smile.

Sakuraba smiled back. He'd believed Koharu. I would have to thank her later. "That's cool." He turned to Koharu. "Wakana, I've been meaning to ask about next week's game. Do you—?"

I didn't follow the rest of their conversation. I'd caught sight of something else.

Shin was standing off to the side, watching Koharu, Sakuraba, and me, and when he saw me looking he dipped his head in a nod of recognition. I waved back hesitantly. Then he started to walk over.

My mouth went dry. Like it or not, Shin intimidated me.

"Erika?" Wakana whispered. Sakuraba had walked off and was now chatting amiably with Takami as the players moved back onto the field. Her gaze followed mine, eyes widening when she saw Shin walking steadily towards us. His steps were, stolid, measured, and even; it did not take him long to reach us.

"Ms. Austerlitz," he said quietly, stopping about three feet away from Wakana and me.

Wakana looked back and forth between the two of us. "You two know each other?"

I gulped and nodded. "I got lost on my way home last week. Shin helped Uncle find me."

"Oh. Cool."

Shin said nothing, and his emotionless face was beginning to creep me out. Did he not know how to smile? He was like a rock even when he spoke! His eyes were cool, too, and I noticed they were so dark brown so as to be almost black. Then the rocky illusion shattered like volcanic glass as he said "The coach has the… _arrangements_ ready. He told me to tell you to ask him about them."

"Oh. Um. Okay." I smiled at him. "Sure."

He turned and began walking off, but stopped. Shin turned his face so I got a good look at him in three-quarter profile as he said "Thank you, Ms. Austerlitz." Then he joined the rest of the players on the field.

Wakana let out a low whistle, and my ears began to burn. "How do you know Shin?" she whispered, latching onto my arm. "What 'arrangements'? And why the 'thank you?"

I made sure no one was in earshot before explaining. "Shin is not doing so well in English class," I murmured, "and I am not very good at Japanese. Uncle thought it would be good to tutor each other until Shin's grades improved."

Wakana blinked up at me, frowning. "Did the shogun say when Shin's problems started?"

"No. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just wondering why I didn't know about this. It's usually my job to tutor the players when they score badly. Players aren't allowed to play with bad grades."

I nodded. "Uncle told me that, yes. But please, Wakana, do not mention this to anyone. I know that I get embarrassed by bad grades—surely Shin is the same."

She smiled, but her eyes were still troubled. "Of course. My lips are sealed." A sudden laugh escaped her lips. "But you don't need to worry about him. He's got the constitution of a rock!"

I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Her analysis of his constitution hit very close to my own initial opinion of my reluctant English student.

* * *

The day passed quickly after that, and not long after school I found myself in Uncle's office. "Shin said you have the tutoring location and time for me?" I ventured, settling myself down in one of the plush leather chairs at Uncle's desk.

Without looking up from his strategy sheets, Uncle Shoji pushed a white notepad at me. "There," he said. "See you at home."

I picked up the sheet and looked at it. Shin and I were to have our first lesson in the school library… five minutes earlier. I jumped up. "Why is the lesson so soon after school?" I blurted, preparing to run out the door. Uncle did not answer me, and I darted down the immaculate high school hallways as if I were being chased by a tiger.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Sorry this took so long and is so short/crappy! The next will be longer and will come out faster. See you around!


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